


Eddie Kaspbrack Should’ve Just Shut His Mouth

by orphan_account



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Little Shit, Endgame Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, F/M, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Henry Bowers - Freeform, Henry Bowers Being an Asshole, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Patrick Hockstetter is His Own Warning, Sad, The Bowers Gang - Freeform, eddie joins the bowers gang au, eddie makes bad choices, ill add on more tags eventually-, is that a thing? idk but it is now., slowburn? not really? but kind of? it’s complicated.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:15:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25200760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: eddie kaspbrack has the perfect friend group and he has since he was a kid. he loves them all and wouldn’t trade them for the world. but when the losers wanna add a new kid to the group, eddies jealousy overtakes him and he says some stuff he probably shouldn’t have. things pretty much go to shit from there. eddie kaspbrack should’ve just shut his mouth and maybe things would’ve be such a mess. but he didn’t.-in conclusion i suck ass at writing summaries. lowercase is intended. i will put content warnings at the begging of chapters if needed. please enjoy! kudos, constructive criticism, and comments are appreciated! love you guys! stay safe! wash ur stinky hands! wear a mask! don’t vote kayne!
Relationships: Connor Bowers/Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Gretta Keene, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	1. eddie gets replaced

since kindergarten, eddie kaspbrack thought his best friends would be with him for life. he and his three best friends richie, bill, and stan, survived all of grade school together and the highs and lows of middle school. as middle school played out they adopted mike, ben, and bev into their group and formed the losers club which quickly became a family for the said losers. they went through highs, lows, laughter, and tears together... hell they even fought and killed an evil clown together, but when their second year of highschool rolled around things started to change. 

of course the group was as close as ever but they all started to make more friends outside of the group. ben, surprisingly became the athlete of the group and got quite close with the football team. bev and richie both joined the improv team making friends with the theater kids. bill was starting to get into writing and he showed that by joining a poetry club and taking ap ela classes in his sophomore year. stan found a happy home in debate club and used any spare time to do crew for the theater department. mike, still being homeschooled had only really made new friends with his new neighbor who was the daughter of a few bakers who moved in next door. eddie however wasn’t so lucky in this department. his mom didn’t let him do anything after school and he had to sneak out even to see bev and richies shows. of course he made a few friends in his everyday class but not the kind you’d hang out with outside of school grounds. eddie didn’t worry that much though because their group hadn’t budged and still was as close as they were that one fateful summer. 

they were all happy and doing great through freshman year, and the first few months of sophomore year before richie started hanging out with connor bowers... it was fine at first, connor had just moved to derry the beginning that summer and he needed friends to help him through it but eddie wasn’t that happy. even when connor would just eat lunch with them, or he’d hear about these sleepovers he would have with richie, eddie couldn’t help but feel a bit of jealousy towards the boy. in fact, he hated how close he was getting to the losers. especially richie. the losers club were the lucky seven. they always have been and always will be. a group of eight just didn’t feel right. connor also didn’t go through what they did that fateful summer. he didn’t have to fight a space clown, he didn’t have to go venturing into a murder house, twice, he didn’t do the stupid blood oath. eddie still had to suck down his anger and jealousy because the rest of the club seemed to like him and he had no idea why. i mean the kid was henry bowers’ cousin. henry. fucking. bowers. anyone related to that asshole must be just as bat shit as him, right? that’s what eddie wanted to believe but as much as he hated it connor wasn’t that bad... but he still didn’t have a place in their group.

for months eddie stayed quiet about connor slowly becoming one of them, until one day richie said something that crossed the line. 

it was a few days before thanksgiving break, the autumn leaves were falling, the weather was getting colder, and like normal the seven losers were hanging in the clubhouse listening to some mixtape richie has had made for them. the room eventually filled with, not an akward, but comfortable silence. that happens every once in a while with the teens each working on their own work, or reading a book, each off in there little world, eddie loved times like these and he was quite enjoying it before richie opened his mouth.

“so when do you think we can officially make connor a loser?” he asked breaking the silence. everyone looked over at the curly haired boy, no one saying anything. eddies face shot up from the spanish sheet he was working on, up at richie. 

“uhm we’re not?” the hazel haired boy said, like it was super obvious. the losers club was always just those seven. no one else should even be able to join. that makes sense right? or was he just being selfish. 

“why not? i told him about it and he said it sounds awesome. i think we could show him the clubhouse before we have to shut it down for the winter.” he said looking up at eddie from his comic book. a few of the other losers agrees that that’s a good plan but eddie was not having it. 

“seriously? what gives him the right to be here? he’s not one of us!” eddie said earning a few looks from the group. 

“eddie, calm down- i think it would be good to take connor down here. what’s one more loser? i mean we’ve got enough seats if that’s what’s this is about-“ ben tried to add, which only made eddie madder. 

“what? no, ben- it’s not about the seats it’s about, you know! hes not one of us! a loser! he’s a bowers for christ’s sake! he can’t just waltz up in here and act like he’s our friend-“ okay maybe that was a little harsh on eddies end. but he wasn’t wrong! 

“what d-do you think hes g-gonna start bullying us?” bill asked, looking up from an essay he was writing. “he’s seriously not like b-bowers. he actually is nice if you give him a chance and get to know him-“ eddie could feel his face heat up with anger. get to know him?! really?! 

“yeah eds, connor is really cool! you just gotta stop being such a debbie downer and open your horizons a bit- i mean what’s the worse that could happen?” richie said, again trying to prove his case is a valid one. the rest of the losers were still agreeing with him. 

“what if he’s like his cousin? i mean how much do you really know him? and don’t call me eds!” eddie said crossing his arms. 

“how about we just vote?” stan offered looking to the two. “we either let connor into the losers club, or we don’t? sound like a plan?” he asked, mostly talking to richie and eddie, though the rest of the group agreed. 

“yep, sounds fair to me-“ richie started before he got cut off. 

“absolutely not!” eddie yelled. “he has no right to be one us!” 

“what does that even mean eddie?” mike asked, looking up from a book he was reading. 

“i- i don’t know! he’s just- he’s not-“ eddie felt like he was gonna cry. he probably should’ve just kept his mouth shut. he was probably overreacting. connor probably wasn’t even that bad. 

“cmon eds- eddie. let’s just do a vote. that’s the fairest way, it’s like... democracy!” richie offered, the rest of the group nodding in agreement. 

eddie wanted to disagree, he wanted to yell that democracy was stupid, but he just didn’t see the point of arguing. he lost. it’s like they didn’t even care about what he was thinking, or what he wanted. 

“fine, we can vote. but a vote for connor to join the losers club is a vote for me to leave.” eddie said standing firm, even though he wanted to just crumble. 

“what?” bev asked taking her cigarette in between two fingers, and tapping the ash off into a stray ash tray she snatched from her house one day. “eddie just because we want connor in, doesnt mean we want you out-“ 

“well then, don’t vote for connor to join.” eddie said. he saw richie roll his eyes. 

“god eddie your being so dramatic. what is it your time of the month or something?” richie said, earning a dew ‘beep beep’s from the group. “let’s just vote.” he spat out, now clearly frustrated. “all for connor to join us?” he asked raising his hand. everyone apart from bev and ben raised their hands. eddie was defeated. it was nice to know he had at least two on his side. “and all for us to not let him join?” only eddie raised his hand. 

“ben, bev?! you guys aren’t gonna vote?!” eddie said desperately. he really thoight he had someone on his side. 

“i’m gonna stay neutral, like switzerland!” bev said, ben nodding in agreement. 

eddie looked down at his feet for a minute, before grabbing his backpack and shoving his homework in there. “fine. you guys had your democracy and made your decision.” eddie said quite aggressively. “goodbye-“ he through his backpack on his shoulders and started walking towards the ladder.

“eds, stop acting like a baby! you do this every time you don’t get your way-“ richie yelled. clearly not wanting to deal with eddies shit. maybe it was true. maybe he was just being dramatic. but that. that crossed the line. 

“you know, i only act like this because you guys don’t care what i have to say! or how i feel! or what i want! you guys suck!” he said starting to climb out. god, he really should’ve just shut his mouth. “have fun with connor!” he yelled climbing out, and slamming the door shut. eddie wiped away a few tears he didnt know had fallen and started his walk home. 

the clubhouse filled once again with silence. this time not the conforming kind. this time, the kind that makes a room feel stiff, and stale. once again rich was the first to break the silence. 

“give it two days, he’ll be back.” 

•••

some days later and eddie hasn’t shown his face to the losers. luckily he didn’t have any classes with them or this would’ve been much harder. eddie did keep to his word. he didn’t go back to the group, or the clubhouse, and he wasn’t planning to. it was very hard though. he never was good at making friends and losing the ones he had really did take a toll on him. Thanksgiving break was hell. normally a five day weekend that he would spend running around with his friends was spent trapped in his stuffy house with his overbearing mother. he tried to spend as much time as he could up in his room, but his mom wanted them to have “family bonding”, which was mostly him getting forced to watch soap operas and help cook a sad thanksgiving dinner. yep some family the two were. 

the family was better before his dad died, happy even, but his dad was dead, and his friends replaced him, so here he was, alone with his mother. he hated every second of it. every pill he had to take, every episode he had to watch, every comment about how terrible his friends- ex friends were. god she would probably be thankful if she knew he basically dumped them. 

eddie thought about them a lot. about how he should’ve just kept his mouth shut, or how connor was probably having the time of their lives with them. he thought about richie the most though. the way he defended connor and chose connor over him. that hurt him more than the others. he didn’t know why though. he wondered if the losers were thinking of him. did they want him back? did they miss him? would they chose diffrently now? probably not. he had to keep reminding himself that they chose connor. 

thanksgiving break eventually ended and eddie had to go back to school. he was glad for minute, finally able to escape his mother, but when he got back to school he was met with the group of losers, laughing and having a blast, but with connor fucking bowers, and not him. he looked at richie who was red in the face with laughter. he missed that most of all. he looked at the group, and at connor, for another second, before putting on his hood, and making a bolt for his next first class. well it was official. he had been replaced, and none of his friends even cared. goes to show how important he was. he tried not to cry as he sat down in the back of his class and got out his supplies. 

great. eddie has no friends. he has to survive his sophomore year by himself. he might even have to deal with it for his junior and senior. maybe he could make new friends... but they wouldn’t be the same. god this year is gonna suck ass. 

over the next few weeks eddie had gotten used to the routine of, walk to school, get to class, avoid the losers at all cost, eat lunch in the library, finish your classes, walk home. it was boring and lonely. but it worked for him. every once in a while he would see the losers. they looked happy, like they forgot all about him. richie looked happy with connor. connor was probably funnier than him. he probably could take Richies crude sense of humor, and he probably liked the dumb nicknames richie gave him. he tried not to be all jealous and mopey, but here he was, being jealous and mopey. yet, the ‘lonely boy’ routine must go on...

•••

eddie was reading a book in the library during lunch one day, when he got approached by someone. he didn’t know it then but his sophomore year was about to get much more interesting.


	2. eddie makes new friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> me: i’m so excited for this book!! i’ll update it probably by tomorrow and then i’m gonna try to do weekly updates!!   
> *almost three months later+   
> me: so that was a fucking lie- 
> 
> so i’m so sorry for the wait but i hope you enjoy this chapter!! stay safe and wash your hands!! (and as always constructive criticism and thoughts are always welcome in the comments!!)

eddie enjoyed his lunches. probably the best part of his day. the librarian was a sour old lady who used lunchtime as her half hour smoke break. god, hes shocked she hasn’t died of lung cancer yet. so while she was off smoking in her car eddie basically had the library to himself. sure, it was kind of pathetic but he liked the quiet, and he didn’t have to worry about running into the losers on accident. yep, hes still thinking about them. he’s been seeing them a lot less lately which is good, but it still hurts when he does. he ran into bev the other day on accident in the hallway. he wanted to talk and ask how the losers were doing but he just muttered out a quick ‘sorry’ and kept on his way. 

one early december day, eddie was enjoying his lunch period as normal. over the past month he got used to being the only one in the library during the lunch period so of course it was a shock when someone came sitting at the same table he was at. 

eddie was so focused on his book (he was reading lord of the flies) he didnt even notice the other person until they slammed their bag on the library table. eddie jumped and looked at the senior who slid into the chair across from eddies without saying a word. eddie looked at him for a second, not knowing what he should say, or even if he should say anything. but he didn’t have to because the bully in a leather jacket beat him to it.

“so...” henry bowers started, looking at eddie with a toothpick hanging out of his mouth. “little wheezy finally left that sad gang of misfits?” he asked with a sly smirk. 

“i guess so...” eddie replied putting his book away. henry bowers and his goons were hard enough to deal with even when eddie has his friends to back him up. he didn’t know how he was gonna deal with henry, and possibly the other bullies, by himself. eddie shoved his book in his bag and stood up. 

“woah, woah, where are you going? lunch break just started ten minutes ago. you’ve still got a while...” bowers said, almost too kindly. this didn’t seem right. he never asked questions like this. he would normally go straight to bullying, beating, or harassing.

eddie didn’t have an excuse. he didn’t have any friends he could be meeting with, and he didn’t have a classroom to go to. he sighed and sat back down in defeat. “what do you want, bowers? wanna take my lunch money or something?” eddie snapped, crossing his arms in his sleep. 

henry scoffed, sitting back in his chair and propping his long legs on the table. eddie found that disgusting. do you even know how many germs are on the bottom of your shoes? and now all those germs are on the table and the next kid who touches it is gonna pick them up and spread them and- ew. 

“wow you really are a feisty one, arent cha?” henry said, cutting off eddies internal monologue about germs.

eddie shrugged. he hated this. everything about it seemed wrong. “seriously man, what do you want?” he repeated, really just wanting to get this over with.

“awe cmon, eddie- cant a guy just talk with a friend without him wanting something?” 

this felt like a trap. the rest of the bowers gang was probably listening behind the bookshelves, waiting to jump him, or take his stuff, or god knows what- 

“since when have we been friends?” eddie asked looking at henry. 

henry bowers in his senior year of highschool, still terrorizing the underclassmen. he looked pretty similar to how hes always looked. his style has gotten better though, he also had gotten a nose piercing, and he started cutting his mullet a bit shorter in the back. 

“well that’s sorta what i wanted to talk to you about... i know we’ve had our differences in the past-“ eddie scoffed earning a mean glare from henry. “-but, i’ve noticed how you haven’t been hanging out with your friends anymore-“ eddie didn’t want to talk about the losers. he didn’t want to be having a conversation with henry at all. 

“just cut to the chase henry-“ he snapped. 

“look, kid- you obviously don’t have any friends anymore- don’t even deny it we’ve seen your pathetic one person routine- but i think you could use a new friend group... one that could actually protect you, and isn’t full of little fairies...” this couldn’t be real. henry did not just ask him to join the bowers gang. 

“what?” eddie asked in disbelief. henry chuckled. 

“look wheezy,” he took his feet off the table and leaned over it towards eddie. “you’re pathetic, and weak, but you’ve got potential, and no one should have to spend highschool with no friends-“ he said the last part with a very fake looking sad face. 

this doesn’t feel like a genuine offer. it seems predatory. 

“well what would be in it for you guys? if i get the protection and the friends, what do you get?” he asked still feeling weary of this. 

“a new friend? cmon eddie were just trying to be nice.”

maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad plan. maybe henry was being nice, i mean he’s never been this sincere before. “and what about the rest of your gang? are they opposed to me joining?”

henry shook his head. “patrick came up with the idea a few weeks ago. but seriously eddie, think about it, this could be great...” 

maybe it could be great. or maybe he was being dumb and impulsive. they have been bullying him for years... but people can change! maybe eddie should just give him a chance. 

“so what? i say yes and i’m automatically one of you guys..?” eddie asked. he was now sitting less on edge, feeling a bit safer already. 

“so you are saying yes?” henry said, with a smirk. 

“i’m saying maybe-“ eddie replied. eddie wants to say yes. it might be impulsive but a group of friends that are bullies is better than no friends... right?

“cmon wheezy-“ henry said standing up. “what if you... hang out with us for the day... like a test drive?” he offered, raising a brow. “and if you don’t like it, you can go back to... this-“ he said motioning around the empty library. “what do ya say?” he asked offering his hand out to eddie. 

eddie stood up, taking henry’s hand. “it’s a deal.” it wasn’t until then that he had the thought: ‘it’s a trap, you idiot- the rest of them are gonna corner you and now that you’re alone no one can save you’ welp it was too late to worry about that. 

“atta boy!” he called, giving eddie a friendly hit on the back a bit too hard. eddie have a small, uncomfortable, smile as he started to be guided into the cafeteria by the taller boy. 

the cafeteria is weird when you haven’t been there in a month. he looked at the table the losers normally took and there they were, all in the same places. connor of course took his place. that still hurt. henry apparently was looking at the same people. 

“i cant believe my cousin is friends with those fags now-“ he said continuing the way to their table. “it’s probably a good thing you got away from them. you wouldn’t want to turn into one of them-“ eddie hated the way he talked about gay people. they aren’t zombies for fucks sake, and that’s not why he left the group! 

eddie just gave a nod, and tried not to look offended.

when they made it to the table they were met with victor and belch arm wrestling, while patrick was cheering them on. belch eventually won, pinning victors arm to the table and then raising both of his up in victory. henry laughed and sat in his normal seat, next to vic, and eddie just stood their. was he supposed to sit? did he look stupid for not sitting. 

“hey wheezy, welcome to the club-“ victor said, taking a bite out of his sandwich. he chewed with his mouth open, which was one of eddies many pet peeves. 

“cmon short stack, why don’t you take a seat? we won’t bite..” patrick offered, patting the chair next to him. he hated patrick the most out of all of them. they all had different methods of bullying but patrick was just straight up batshit- 

eddie smiled awkwardly and sat down, setting his bag on the floor next to him. he kept it close to his feet just to make sure none of them were trying to steal anything. he took another peak at his old table and it was obvious they were all staring back, well, almost all of them. bill and stan just looked confused. ben looked sad almost? bev looked pissed, i mean like- scary, pissed. and richie and connor were just in their own world, laughing about some joke he probably wouldn’t understand. he wanted richie to look at him, but he didn’t... 

“does it speak?” belch asked, looking over patrick at eddie. eddie could see some ketchup on belches chin that was driving him absolutely insane. he snapped out of his trance and looked back over at the chunkier boy.

“i- i do-“ eddies voice was so much more timid than the others. well more quiet? both. they had confidence, and acted like they ran the place- eddie had... nothing really. he was just a sophomore no one knew except for four bullies, and his ex friends. 

“well kid, welcome to the gang.”

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! welcome to my first ao3 fic!! thanks so much for reading and please leave kudus and comments (constructive criticism is greatly appreciated)!! stay safe and wash your hands!!


End file.
